What If?
by Pyxyl
Summary: A one-shot riff on the Stanley Parable - same universe, different setting. What if you were destined to die, over and over again, restarting each day until you made it through and died a natural death? Seen through the eyes of Sam, a girl who just wants to live her life.


Sam woke up. She brushed her teeth, forgot to brush her hair, ate a breakfast of waffles and bacon, and walked out her door at 8:13 a.m. She walked down the street, and at the end of her street turned left. After walking down the street for exactly three seconds, a minivan skidded on a patch of sand and hit Sam, killing her almost instantly.

Sam woke up. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair because it was extremely tangled, ate a breakfast of waffles and bacon, and walked out her door at 8:14 a.m. She walked down the street, and at the end of her street turned left. On the right side of the street, a smoking minivan was pushed on the curb. She walked around the minivan and continued on her way to work. Upon arrival, she went immediately to her desk, put on her headphones, and got to work. She worked for one hour and 16 minutes without taking her usual coffee break. At this point, an escaped criminal broke into the office and took her hostage. After three hours, he shot her in the back of the head.

Sam woke up. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair because it was extremely tangled, ate a breakfast of waffles and bacon, and walked out her door at 8:14 a.m. She walked down the street, and at the end of her street turned left. On the right side of the street, a smoking minivan was pushed on the curb. She walked around the minivan and continued on her way to work. Upon arrival, she went immediately to her desk, put on her headphones, and got to work. She worked for one hour, and took her coffee break. One of her co-workers was having issues with her boyfriend, so Sam took 16 minutes to talk to her. An emergency evacuation was ordered, because an escaped criminal had broken in and taken the manager hostage. In an effort to keep people calm, the police sent everyone home. Instead of going home, Sam and her co-worker decided to go get coffee. They got the coffee without incident, and Sam went home at around lunchtime. What Sam didn't know was that there was a carbon monoxide leak in her apartment building, and a few hours later Sam died while watching FOX news.

Sam woke up. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair because it was extremely tangled, ate a breakfast of waffles and bacon, and walked out her door at 8:14 a.m. She walked down the street, and at the end of her street turned left. On the right side of the street, a smoking minivan was pushed on the curb. She walked around the minivan and continued on her way to work. Upon arrival, she went immediately to her desk, put on her headphones, and got to work. She worked for one hour, and took her coffee break. One of her co-workers was having issues with her boyfriend, so Sam took 16 minutes to talk to her. An emergency evacuation was ordered, because an escaped criminal had broken in and taken the manager hostage. In an effort to keep people calm, the police sent everyone home. Instead of going home, Sam and her co-worker decided to go get coffee. They got the coffee, but the co-worker's boyfriend decided to call and break up with her. The co-worker asked Sam if she could stay for a while, so Sam went back with her co-worker's house. She stayed there for two hours and 42 minutes, and walked out the door back home. When she arrived, the utility company told her that a carbon monoxide leak had been prevented. Relived that she had missed it, Sam went into her apartment, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair, changed into her pajamas, and went to sleep. When Sam woke up, the apartment was on fire. After struggling to get out, Sam caught on fire and burned alive.

Sam woke up. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair because it was extremely tangled, ate a breakfast of waffles and bacon, and walked out her door at 8:14 a.m. She walked down the street, and at the end of her street turned left. On the right side of the street, a smoking minivan was pushed on the curb. She walked around the minivan and continued on her way to work. Upon arrival, she went immediately to her desk, put on her headphones, and got to work. She worked for one hour, and took her coffee break. One of her co-workers was having issues with her boyfriend, so Sam took 16 minutes to talk to her. An emergency evacuation was ordered, because an escaped criminal had broken in and taken the manager hostage. In an effort to keep people calm, the police sent everyone home. Instead of going home, Sam and her co-worker decided to go get coffee. They got the coffee, but the co-worker's boyfriend decided to call and break up with her. The co-worker asked Sam if she could stay for a while, so Sam went back with her co-worker's house. She stayed there for two hours and 42 minutes, and walked out the door back home. When she arrived, the utility company told her that a carbon monoxide leak had been prevented. Relived that she had missed it, Sam went into her apartment, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair, changed into her pajamas, and was about to go to bed when she realized she wanted a drink of water. She walked out to the kitchen, and saw she had left her vanilla-scented candle burning next to the kitchen towels. She blew out the candle, got her water, and went to bed. The next day was completely uneventful.

As a matter of fact, the next three years of Sam's life, she wouldn't need to avoid death at all.

The next five years.

Seven years.

Seventeen years.

Sam woke up next to her husband of nine years. She kissed his forehead, rolled out of bed, and got herself ready. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair (something she had never forgotten to do for the past 17 years), and made her side of the bed. She went out to the kitchen, debated about eating breakfast, then decided to skip. She got in the car, turned on NPR, and drove to work. She had been working at the same place for the past 17 years, and was now CEO of her branch. She decided to take the stair this time. What she wasn't counting on, however, was that someone would be trying to haul an easy chair up the stair. What she didn't count on was the chair falling down the stairs and killing her by snapping her neck.

Same woke up next to her husband of nine years. She kissed his forehead, rolled out of bed, and got herself ready. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair (something she had never forgotten to do for the past 17 years), and made her side of the bed. She went out to the kitchen, debated about eating breakfast, then decided to skip. She got in the car, turned on NPR, and drove to work. She had been working at the same place for the past 17 years, and was now CEO of her branch. She decided to take the elevat - Sam. Sam, no, you don't take the stairs, you take the elevator. I can see you eyeing the stairs, trust me, you don't want to… fine. She decided to take the stair this time. What she wasn't counting on, however, was that someone would be trying to haul an easy chair up the stair. What she didn't count on was the chair falling down the stairs and killing her by snapping her neck. Again.

Sam woke up next to her husband of nine years. She kissed his forehead, rolled out of bed, and got herself ready. She brushed her teeth, brushed her hair (something she had never forgotten to do for the past 17 years), and made her side of the bed. She went out to the kitchen, debated about eating breakfast, then decided to skip. She got in the car, turned on NPR, and drove to work. She had been working at the same place for the past 17 years, and was now CEO of her branch. This time, she finally decided to take the elevator. She made it up without incident, and walked in to her office. She worked for three hours and twenty-three minutes, when she heard a noise out her window. She looked, and one of the window washers had slipped and was hanging by the railing outside. Sam opened the window in order to help him, but unfortunately, he was too heavy, and they fell over the side together.

Sam woke up next to her husband of nine years. She kissed his forehead, rolled out of bed, and got – Sam, no you can't sleep in. Sam. Seriously? Apparently, Sam has decided to roll over and take a nap. Sam, you are being most uncooperative. If I could sigh in exasperation, I would. Fine. By deciding to not go in to the office that day, Sam actually managed to live out the rest of her life fine, until one day, when Sam was eighty-nine years old, she died of old age.

Sam didn't wake up again.


End file.
